S2E3: Circularity is a trillion-dollar opportunity waiting to scale.
So why aren’t businesses embracing it?

In this hearty episode, with the subtle touch of humour, our host Divya Kabra sits down with Daniel Barraclough of SYSTEMIQ to discuss:

1️⃣ The Scale of the Problem → How plastics, packaging, and textiles contribute to CO₂ emissions and global waste.
2️⃣ The Broken Economics of Waste → Why virgin plastic is cheaper than recycled plastic and how subsidies distort the system.
3️⃣ Circularity as a Business & Policy Solution → How Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), re-commerce, and financial incentives can make circularity mainstream.
4️⃣ The Global Politics of Plastic → The role of INC-5, lobbying efforts, and why regulations matter.
5️⃣ The Rise of Reuse & Circular Business Models → How Patagonia, IKEA, Apple, and Caterpillar are proving circularity can be profitable.
6️⃣ The Myths Holding Back Circularity → Debunking “circularity is too expensive” and “recycling is the solution.”
7️⃣ The Future of Circularity → How finance, innovation, and consumer behavior are pushing businesses to rethink waste.

Chapters

00:00 ♻️Plastic: Can’t Live With It, Can’t Get Rid of It

01:57 Meet Daniel: The Guy Who Actually Knows How to Fix This

03:48 🥤Plastic Straws: The Distraction That Won’t Die

05:30 ⛽Plastic = Oil? The Connection No One Talks About

07:02 🌎Plastic’s Climate Impact: It’s Bigger Than You Think

08:37 🩸Microplastics Are in Our Blood. So That’s Fun

09:40 🧐Plastic Politics: Why Some Leaders Want More of It

10:54 The Global Plastics Treaty: Breakthrough or Bureaucratic Mess?

12:48 👕The Fashion Industry’s Dirty Secret: Textile Waste

14:20 Are Consumers to Blame? The Truth About Accountability

15:13 🎨Explaining Circularity Like You’re 5 (Literally)

17:40 Why Waste is Designed Into Our System (And How to Fix It)

21:14 🛍️How Resale & Recommerce Are Outsmarting Fast Fashion

23:14 💰♻️Can We Make Money Without Making Trash?

25:43 Circularity 101: The Business of Keeping Materials in Play

29:51 How Many Gigatons of CO₂ Can Circularity Actually Save?

34:33 Your Old Phone Is a Gold Mine—Literally 📱✨

38:46 Turning Trash Into Profit—The Smart Way

40:36 What’s Actually Stopping Circularity From Scaling?

46:29 EPR: The Policy That Could Change Everything

53:57 The INC Plastics Treaty: Who’s Fighting It & Why?

58:17 Myths About Circularity That Need to Die Already

01:02:56 Fiber-Based Packaging vs. Plastic: Who’s Actually Winning?

01:06:11 Circularity in Emerging Markets: The Truth vs. The Myths

01:11:10 Hope for the Future: Circular Economy Solutions

01:13:49 Final Thoughts

01:15:41 Behind the Scenes: What happens after the producer says cut 🎬

01:18:16 Outro 🎧

*the opinions expressed by the guests in these episodes are fully their own and do not necessarily represent the opinions of their current employers